WSBK Misano J2, after his retirement did Toprak Razgatlioglu lose the title? Jonathan Rea responds

This is the worst-case scenario that Toprak Razgatlioglu experienced during this first race of the fourth meeting of the WSBK season in Misano. Not only did he see that he was not sufficiently armed to play for victory against the Kawasaki of Jonathan Rea and the Ducati of Alvaro Bautista, but his Yamaha died in the middle of the fight. This blank result costs him dearly and makes him lose contact with the two aforementioned in the title race. Has he already destroyed his chances of retaining his crown? Jonathan Rea responds…

The Ducati factory rider, Alvaro Bautista, was able to extend his lead in the championship this Saturday during the first of three rounds expected this weekend in Misano, fourth round of the season. With this victory, the Spaniard regained five points on Jonathan Rhea. But the two took to their heels in front of a Toprak Razgatlioglu which experienced the agonies of abandonment for technical reasons. The Yamaha official is now 77 points behind in the general classification. Crippling, even!

« Good luck to those who have already written it off. He's a fighter. There is still a long way to go“, warns Kawasaki rider and six-time WSBK winner Jonathan Rea. “ Alvaro already had a 61-point lead in 2019 and I ended up beating him by over 160 points. There are still so many races to go and anything is possible in racing."

« It's important to win on tracks where it's possible. You have to make the most of the other avenues. I want to achieve it this year. I want to minimize my mistakes“, says the Northern Irishman, explaining his strategy for the rest of the season. During this first race of the World Championship Superbike in Misano, Sale had to settle for second place after leading the race for a long time. But Baptist was significantly faster with its Ducati at the end and opened a comfortable gap.

« Toprak Razgatlioglu is a fighter and there is still a long way to gor "

« I'm happy with the 20 points. On the other hand, I'm frustrated that we weren't closer“, he commented on the race. The pilot Kawasaki feels like he got the most out of his package. For victories, Kawasaki must also help… “ We have to improve. I wish I had more power. Then I could take the turns a little more calmly and I wouldn't have to take so many risks" , Explain Sale. " We get the most out of the bike. I am very satisfied with the work of the guys in the pits."

For its part, Alvaro Bautista has, on the contrary, taken another step towards the world title. But he remains cautious: “ I'm not thinking about the championship. With this format, with three races each weekend, we cannot think about the championship. It's too early for that“, he specifies. “ The championship is still long and there are still many points left. I want to stay focused in all training sessions and races and get the most out of them. I'm not worried about the points" , Explain Baptist, which thus explains his decisive blow on Jonathan Rhea : " I knew it might not be the best place for an overtake because you are so fast there. This is a corner that you approach at over 280 km/h in fifth gear. But there weren't many places where I was able to pass Jonathan “, he comments.

On arrival, Bautista was celebrated by the Ducati managers present and the numerous fans. “ It's always nice to win. Winning Ducati's home race here in Misano is really special. I really appreciate it after suffering for two years. There were a lot of fans here. It was great to win with them to celebrate“, declared the championship leader.

WSBK Misano: Ranking of Race 1

Credit Ranking & photos: World SBK